Early TV Everywhere Data Finds Consumers Tolerate More Ads Online

Consumers will tolerate more ads and stay tuned into online TV when networks up the ad load, according to data I came across during my reporting on Comcast’s TV Everywhere.

Executives at sister networks History Channel and A&E tell me that when they increased the number of ads in full-length episodes of their shows by 20% in the early TV Everywhere roll-outs, viewers still watched the episodes to completion by the same amount. That means the increased ad load isn’t turning viewers off. This data is particularly noteworthy given a recent research report from comScore found that consumers won’t mind a doubling of ads in online TV.

Also, Anthony Soohoo at CBS told us at the Beet.TV roundtable in February that CBS is considering increasing the number of ads.